u/athazen

12 week old consistently wakes up 30 mins after being put down in his bassinet asleep. It takes only 5-10 minutes max to resettle and he falls back to sleep for about 5 hours.

I’m not sure how to address the “false start” because he is so quick to fall back to sleep…any suggestions?

He is fed between 7:45 and 8pm, held up for a bit for reflux, then put to bed by 8:45/9pm. Then wakes around 9:30 with that false start.

He wakes around 1:30-2:30am for a feed and then again around 5:30-6:30am. We put him back down to nap or just work on hanging out independently until 8am.

For those whose babies sleep in a bassinet or crib. What’s the trick to knowing when baby is in deep enough sleep that you can transfer them from your arms to their bed without their eyes popping open seconds later?

Half vent half request for advice from a FTM. My baby isn’t following eat/play/sleep and 50% of me doesn’t care because that probably wasn’t a thing 2 years ago, but the other 50% of me feels like it’s really important to get into that routine.

Right now it’s more “play” aka soothe, eat, sleep. Baby is 9 wks and soooo hard to get to nap. We try everything and then admit defeat and accept that he’s overtired and not going to nap. Then we have about an hour until his next feed (we try to space them out at least 2.5 hours EDIT: this is for medical reasons at the pediatrician’s orders and if he’s hungry earlier of course he is fed) where he’s crying from being tired, then crying from getting hungry. Then we feed him where he falls asleep and we have to hold him upright for 30 mins to help with his reflux. We try to sing and do face to face time here, and by then he’s been up for about an hour and is yawning…..and repeat.

Any advice? Is this just what it is?

Does breast milk change and adapt for the baby when exclusively pumped and bottle fed the same way it does when the baby is breastfed? What do you lose by pumping? Does it become as “static” as formula?

My baby just hit one month today and suddenly nothing soothes him. He may have a 10 minute stretch of sleep but as soon as I swaddle him or put him down or even just keep holding him, his eyes pop back open and he is NOT HAPPY. Nothing soothes him. Not rocking, bouncing, shushing, the pacifier that I have to keep putting back in his mouth every 3 seconds…tell me how to get through this bc I am shellshocked and stressed and idk how to help him
or keep myself sane. He was so chill up until today.

The less productive boob always takes about 6-7 minutes before I really start getting more than a few drops, meanwhile the more productive boob only needs 2 mins of stimulation mode to “turn on.” I constantly massage both, and both feel full when it’s time to pump. Any tips?

Just need to vent… my postpartum experience has felt so messy and complicated- and not because of the baby but because of my body. First, I had to get the magnesium drip two days after I was released from the hospital, and not only was it frustrating and stressful to be strapped to a bed for 24 hours, the nurses I had were causing me even more stress- not leaving me alone, lecturing me, making me feel terrible. I’ve had to monitor my blood pressure and take meds for several weeks since- literally until yesterday. I was so happy to not have to deal with anything else. Then I woke up with a sore spot on my boob and redness- the beginning of mastitis or a clogged duct. Now I have to take antibiotic pills four times a day for two weeks- but it can’t just be every 4 hours, it has to be taken 1 hour before or 2-3 hours after a meal. And it may not even be bacterial mastitis, so I might be taking these for no reason- but it’s my fault bc I got nervous and started the antibiotics before I heard back from my dr. The idea of getting an abscess and needing surgery scares the shit out of me- I don’t want to go back to the hospital and deal with something even more long-term. On top of it all, my letdown is PAINFUL. Like someone sets fire to my nipples every time the baby cries.

I’m just so over having to take care of myself on top
of taking care of the baby. My own recovery has taken so much mental energy since birth and I feel like my body keeps hitting obstacles that idk how to avoid. I’m tired and overwhelmed and annoyed.

Baby is a little over 2 weeks old and I have been lucky enough to have a good supply- like 5-8 oz per session. Pumping every 3 hours (plus being in the early postpartum hormone crashes) was really bad for my mental and I found so much relief going from pumping every 3 to every 4 hours. Baby is eating 2.5oz each feed, which is on demand (every 2 hours ish) or every 3 hours- whichever is first. Am I screwing up my supply by doing this? It’s been about 3 days since I switched to 4 hrs and I haven’t noticed a decrease.

2 week old baby, we bottle feed breast milk on-demand, which is every 2 hours at the moment. I pump every 4 hours. I’ve read how breast milk becomes less fatty and more watery when it’s been a while between expressions because the body assumes the baby is dehydrated. My milk is definitely lighter in color and thin. Am I not giving my baby the fatty milk that he needs because of my chosen pumping schedule?

US-based. I am down the rabbit hole of formula options and part of me wants to go European for higher standards (this could be unfounded- I just feel the current US FDA doesn’t have resources to test and uphold US regulations), the other part of me wants to make sure whatever I choose, it’s because I can access it at any local grocery store at any time.

Has someone else gone down this particular rabbit hole and drawn any conclusions? The most recent posts I could find on this were over a year old. Thanks in advance!

FTM 35wks. Idk if it’s shame/embarrassment from my social conditioning or what, but the idea of breastfeeding does not feel natural or beautiful to me. It feels awkward, invasive and scary and I’m not excited about it at all. For me it’s not even about being seen/judged in public- although that’s scary too lol. Logically, I see all the amazing benefits and also that it is nothing to be ashamed about. Has anyone gone through this?

Edit: wow, you put your phone away for dinner and come back to 50+ comments! I’m a little teary eyed (let’s blame the hormones lol). Thank you so much for the validation and support. I will definitely take everything to heart to consider what will be best for baby and me, and hope this helps someone else feel less isolated 💛